U.S. patent application number 14/252715 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-16 for motor drive device and motor drive system.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI. The applicant listed for this patent is KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI. Invention is credited to Yoichi HASHIMOTO, Takashi MAEDA, Kenji NOMURA.
Application Number | 20140307367 14/252715 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50473167 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140307367 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MAEDA; Takashi ; et
al. |
October 16, 2014 |
MOTOR DRIVE DEVICE AND MOTOR DRIVE SYSTEM
Abstract
A motor drive device for driving at least one motor is provided,
which includes at least one amplifier module for supplying power to
the at least one motor, a control circuit board including at least
one amplifier connector for releasably connecting with the at least
one amplifier module, respectively, and a bus bar for releasably
connecting with the amplifier module to supply power to the
amplifier module.
Inventors: |
MAEDA; Takashi;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) ; HASHIMOTO; Yoichi;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) ; NOMURA; Kenji;
(Kitakyushu-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI |
Kitakyushu-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA
DENKI
Kitakyushu-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
50473167 |
Appl. No.: |
14/252715 |
Filed: |
April 14, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/640 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/1471 20130101;
H05K 7/1465 20130101; H02B 1/04 20130101; H05K 7/1478 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/640 |
International
Class: |
H02B 1/04 20060101
H02B001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 15, 2013 |
JP |
2013-084643 |
Claims
1. A motor drive device for driving at least one motor, comprising:
at least one amplifier module for supplying power to the at least
one motor; a control circuit board including at least one amplifier
connector for releasably connecting with the at least one amplifier
module, respectively; and a bus bar for releasably connecting with
the amplifier module to supply power to the amplifier module.
2. The motor drive device of claim 1, wherein the bus bar is
provided to the control circuit board.
3. The motor drive device of claim 1, wherein the bus bar includes
a plurality of bus bars, and wherein the amplifier module includes
DC power supply connectors mutually connectable with the plurality
of bus bars for supplying first DC power and second DC power.
4. The motor drive device of claim 1, comprising a plurality of
mutually coupled units, each unit being comprised of the control
circuit board, the bus bar, and the amplifier module connected with
the control circuit board and the bus bar, and wherein the bus bar
of each of the units includes, at one end or both ends in an
extending direction of the bus bar, a coupling mechanism
connectable with the bus bar of another unit.
5. The motor drive device of claim 4, wherein the extending
direction is a coupling direction of the units.
6. The motor drive device of claim 4, wherein the control circuit
board of each of the units include a circuit board connector
mutually connectable with the control circuit board of another
unit.
7. The motor drive device of claim 6, wherein the coupling
mechanism of the plurality of units couples the bus bars of the
plurality of units to each other when the circuit board connectors
of the plurality of units are coupled to each other.
8. The motor drive device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of
units includes five amplifier modules, the five amplifier modules
including: at least one first unit having the control circuit board
provided with two amplifier connectors for releasably connecting
with two amplifier modules, respectively; and at least one second
unit having the control circuit board provided with three amplifier
connectors for releasably connecting with three amplifier modules,
respectively, and wherein the at least one first unit and the at
least one second unit are coupled to each other.
9. A motor drive system, comprising: at least one motor; and a
motor drive device for driving the at least one motor according to
an inputted motor control reference, the motor drive device
including: at least one amplifier module for supplying power to the
at least one motor; a control circuit board including at least one
amplifier connector for releasably connecting with the at least one
amplifier module, respectively; and a bus bar for releasably
connecting with the amplifier module to supply power to the
amplifier module.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] The application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 to
Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-084643, which was filed on
Apr. 15, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosed embodiment relates to a motor drive device and
a motor drive system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Conventionally, for example, WO2012/117609A1 discloses a
motor drive device which drives a plurality of motors. This
conventional motor drive device is provided with a control circuit
board and a power circuit board which is separately provided from
the control circuit board. The control circuit board is provided
with a signal line of a lower voltage system (hereinafter, referred
to as "the low-voltage system") used for signaling with a servo
controller which controls the motors. Meanwhile, the power circuit
board is provided with a higher voltage system (hereinafter,
referred to as "the high-voltage system") which supplies higher
voltage to an amplifier module. In this conventional technology,
for example, reliability of insulation and reliability against
noise can be secured by arranging the high-voltage system and the
low-voltage system on separate substrates, as described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a motor
drive device for driving at least one motor is provided, which
includes at least one amplifier module for supplying power to the
at least one motor, a control circuit board including at least one
amplifier connector for releasably connecting with the at least one
amplifier module, respectively, and a bus bar for releasably
connecting with the amplifier module to supply power to the
amplifier module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and
not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying
drawings, in which the like reference numerals indicate like
elements and in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example
configuration of a motor drive device according to one embodiment,
where the total of five amplifier modules are mounted onto a
control circuit board which is formed by mutually coupling two
units (a first unit and a second unit);
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the
first unit is removed from the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1,
and two of the three amplifier modules of the second unit are
further removed;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the detailed
structure of a one-axis amplifier module and a two-axes amplifier
module;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a
covering body is removed from the amplifier module mounted onto the
control circuit board illustrated in FIG. 2, the covering body
being to cover the right side and the upper side of the amplifier
module;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating connections of a connector for
a positive-side power and a connector for a negative-side power of
the amplifier module with a positive-side bus bar section and a
negative-side bus bar section of a bus bar;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a mode in which
the amplifier module is connected to the positive-side bus bar
section and the negative-side bus bar section via the connector for
the positive-side power and the connector for the negative-side
power, respectively;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram schematically
illustrating the entire configuration of a motor drive system which
uses the motor drive device of this embodiment; and
[0013] FIGS. 8A to 8G are views illustrating example combinations
of the first unit and the second unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Hereinafter, one embodiment will be described with reference
to the accompanying drawings. Note that, in the following
description, up and down, front and rear, and left and right
correspond to arrow directions which are suitably illustrated, for
example, in FIGS. 1 to 6, unless the directions are particularly
specified.
<Outline of Motor Drive Device>
[0015] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a motor drive device 1 of
this embodiment includes at least one amplifier module 2 (in this
example, five amplifier modules are arrayed in the left-to-right
direction) which supplies power to motors 110 (see FIG. 7 described
later), a control circuit board 4 extending in a substantially
horizontal direction and to which one or more amplifier modules 2
are releasably installed from above, a bus bar 5 extending in the
left-to-right direction on the control circuit board 4 and for
supplying power to the amplifier modules 2, a converter device 6,
and a control module 120 (see FIG. 7 described later).
[0016] In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, two control circuit
boards 4 are arranged in the left-to-right direction. A first unit
10 is comprised of a left control circuit board 4 of the two
control circuit boards 4, a bus bar 5 provided to the left control
circuit board 4, and two amplifier modules 2 connected to the left
control circuit board 4. Similarly, a second unit 11 is comprised
of a right control circuit board 4 of the two control circuit
boards 4, a bus bar 5 provided to the right control circuit board
4, and three amplifier modules 2 connected to the right control
circuit board 4. Note that the control circuit board 4 of the first
unit 10 and the control circuit board 4 of the second unit 11 are
mutually connected in the left-to-right direction via circuit board
connectors (described later in detail).
[0017] In the second unit 11, three amplifier connectors 41 are
arrayed in the left-to-right direction, in a substantially central
part of the control circuit board 4 in the front-to-rear direction.
The three amplifier modules 2 are mounted to the three amplifier
connectors 41, respectively (also see FIG. 7 described later).
Similarly, in the first unit 10, although the detailed illustration
is omitted, two amplifier connectors 41 are arrayed in the
left-to-right direction, in a substantially central part of the
control circuit board 4 in the front-to-rear direction. The two
amplifier modules 2 are mounted to the two amplifier connecters 41,
respectively (also see FIG. 7 described later).
<Amplifier Module>
[0018] Each of the amplifier modules 2 has a box-shaped contour of
which the thickness is thin in the left-to-right direction. One
mounting connector 21 which can be releasably mounted to the
amplifier connector 41 is provided in a central part of a lower end
part of each amplifier module 2 in the front-to-rear direction.
Each amplifier module 2 is releasably connected to the control
circuit board 4 by mounting the mounting connector 21 to the
amplifier connector 41 of the control circuit board 4.
[0019] As for the amplifier modules 2, a two-axes amplifier module
(hereinafter, it may suitably be simply referred to as "the
two-axes amplifier module 2") illustrated on the front right side
in FIG. 3, and a one-axis amplifier module (hereinafter, it may
suitably be simply referred to as "the one-axis amplifier module
2") illustrated in the rear left side in FIG. 3 are prepared in
advance.
[0020] The two-axes amplifier module 2 has two motor connectors 42
in an end face on the rear side (the front left side in FIG. 3) to
supply power to two motors 110 via the motor connectors 42,
respectively (also see FIG. 7 described later). The one-axis
amplifier module 2 has one motor connector 42 in an end face on the
rear side (the front left side in FIG. 3) to supply power to one
motor 110 via the one motor connector 42.
[0021] Note that, below, in this embodiment, a case where all the
five amplifier modules 2 are the two-axes amplifier modules 2 will
be described as an example.
<Bus Bar>
[0022] The bus bar 5 includes a positive-side (P-side) bus bar
section 51 which supplies positive (plus) direct current
(corresponding to a first DC power) and a negative-side (N-side)
bus bar section 52 which supplies negative (minus) direct current
(corresponding to a second DC power), as illustrated in FIG. 2.
Each of the positive-side bus bar section 51 and the negative-side
bus bar section 52 has a plate shape or a belt shape which stands
upward from the control circuit board 4. The positive-side bus bar
section 51 and the negative-side bus bar section 52 extend in the
left-to-right direction, spaced apart from each other at positions
forward from the amplifier connector 41 on the control circuit
board 4.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a state where a covering body 23 is
removed from the amplifier module mounted onto the control circuit
board 4 illustrated in FIG. 2, where the covering body 23 is to
cover the amplifier module 2 from the right side and the upper
side. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 2, a module circuit board 2A is
vertically provided to each of the amplifier modules 2. The
connector 24 for the positive-side power (corresponding to the DC
power supply connector) and the connector 25 for the negative-side
power (corresponding to the DC power supply connector) are provided
so as to project rightward from a lower part of a front area of the
module circuit board 2A.
[0024] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the connector 24 for the
positive-side power is connected with the positive-side bus bar
section 51 of the bus bar 5, while the connector 25 for the
negative-side power is connected with the negative-side bus bar
section 52 of the bus bar 5, and the mounting connector 21 is
further connected with the amplifier connector 41, thereby, the
module circuit board 2A (in other words, the amplifier module 2) is
mounted to the control circuit board 4 at a lower end part
thereof.
<Connection of Connectors for Positive-side and Negative-side
Power and Amplifier Connector with Bus Bar>
[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the connector 24 for the
positive-side power and the connector 25 for the negative-side
power are each provided with a contact 26 made from, for example, a
conducting metal plate having an inverted U-shape in a front view
where an opening of the U-shape is narrower toward a tip-end
thereof. A leaf spring 27, which is formed by, for example, bending
a conducting metal plate, is provided over both side faces inside
the contact 26. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the module circuit board
2A (in other words, the amplifier module 2) is lowered toward the
control circuit board 4, and the connector 24 for the positive-side
power and the connector 25 for the negative-side power of the
amplifier module 2 are then pressed against the positive-side bus
bar section 51 and the negative-side bus bar section 52 of the bus
bar 5 of the control circuit board 4, respectively. Thus, the
contacts 26 of the inverted U-shape of the connector 24 for the
positive-side power and the connector 25 for the negative-side
power pinch the positive-side bus bar section 51 and the
negative-side bus bar section 52 of the bus bar 5 from both sides,
respectively. As a result, the connector 24 for the positive-side
power and the connector 25 for the negative-side power are
connected with the positive-side bus bar section 51 and the
negative-side bus bar section 52, respectively, into a state where
the connectors are prevented from escaping from the contacts 26 by
the elasticity of the leaf springs 27 located inside the contacts
26. Here, substantially simultaneously, the mounting connector 21
is releasably connected with the amplifier connector 41 by pressing
the mounting connector 21 located in the lower end part of the
module circuit board 2A against the amplifier connector 41 of the
control circuit board 4.
<Coupling of Bus Bars>
[0026] Here, the bus bar 5 of each unit is provided with coupling
mechanisms at both ends thereof in the left-to-right direction (in
other words, its extending direction), which enable the bus bar 5
to connect with other adjacent bus bars 5. That is, as illustrated
in FIGS. 4 and 5, a coupling mechanism part 53A which constitutes
one of the coupling mechanisms is provided to the right end of the
bus bar 5 (a front left side in FIG. 4, and the front side of the
drawing sheet of FIG. 5).
[0027] The coupling mechanism part 53A includes receptacle parts
54, each of which is raised in a hook shape in the front-to-rear
direction from a lower part of a right end part of the
positive-side bus bar section 51 and the negative-side bus bar
section 52, respectively, and a tip-end part 55 of a substantially
U-shape which is provided so as to project rightward from an upper
end of each receptacle part 54. The tip-end part 55 has an opening
56 which opens rightward.
[0028] On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a coupling
mechanism part 53B which constitutes the other coupling mechanism
is provided to the left end of the bus bar 5 (front right side in
FIG. 2).
[0029] The coupling mechanism part 53B includes tab parts 57, each
of which is raised in a hook shape in the front-to-rear direction
from a lower part on the left side of the positive-side bus bar
section 51 and the negative-side bus bar section 52, respectively,
a boss 58 formed at an upper end of each tab part 57 and having a
tapped hole, and screws 59 which threadedly engage with the tapped
holes of the bosses 58.
[0030] In the above configuration, when connecting the bus bar 5 of
one unit with the bus bar 5 of another unit, the tip-end parts 55
of the coupling mechanism part 53B of the one unit on the
positive-side bus bar section 51 side and the negative-side bus bar
section 52 side are placed on the bosses 58 of the coupling
mechanism part 53A of the other unit on the positive-side bus bar
section 51 side and the negative-side bus bar section 52 side.
Then, the screw 59 inserted into the opening 56 of each tip-end
part 55 is threadedly engaged with the tapped hole of each boss 58
to fix the tip-end part 55 to the boss 58 via the screw 59.
<Coupling of Control Circuit Boards>
[0031] The control circuit board 4 of each unit is provided with a
circuit board connector to connect with the control circuit board 4
of another unit. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, one circuit
board connector 60 is provided to a left edge part (front right
side in FIG. 2) of the control circuit board 4 of each unit, at a
position relatively rearward in this example. Corresponding to
this, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the other circuit board connector
63 is provided to a right edge part (front left side in FIG. 4) of
the control circuit board 4, at a position relatively rearward in
this example.
[0032] The one circuit board connector 60 is formed with a fitting
opening 61 of a substantially rectangular shape extending in the
front-to-rear direction, and an insertion plate 62 extending in the
front-to-rear direction is provided in a central part of the
fitting opening 61 in the height direction.
[0033] The other circuit board connector 63 is provided with a
fitting part 64 of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape
extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a receptor hole 65
extending in the front-to-rear direction is formed in the fitting
part 64.
[0034] In the above configuration, when connecting the control
circuit board 4 of one unit with the control circuit board 4 of the
other unit, the fitting part 64 of the other circuit board
connector 63 of the other unit is inserted into the fitting opening
61 of the one circuit board connector 60 of the one unit so that
the insertion plate 62 of the fitting opening 61 is inserted and
fixed into the receptor hole 65 of the fitting part 64.
[0035] Note that, in the above, the tip-end part 55 of the coupling
mechanism part 5313 and the boss 58 of the coupling mechanism part
53A are fastened and fixed with the screw 59 after the tip-end part
55 is vertically overlapped with the boss 58. However,
alternatively, it may adopt a so-called one-touch coupling
structure in which the bus bars 5 of the two adjacent units are
mutually connected by using suitable connectors (not illustrated),
substantially simultaneously with the control circuit boards 4
being mutually coupled and fixed by the circuit board connectors 60
and 63 as described above. In this case, since the bus bars 5 of
the units can also be mutually connected, substantially at the same
time as the mutual connection of the control circuit boards 4 of
the units, a burden of user's work can be reduced and the
convenience of the motor drive device 1 can be improved.
<System Configuration>
[0036] FIG. 7 illustrates the entire electrical configuration of a
motor drive system 100 provided with the motor drive device 1 of
the configuration described earlier. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the
motor drive system 100 includes ten motors 110 and the motor drive
device 1 described above.
[0037] Each motor 110 has an encoder 112 which detects a rotation
angle of a rotating body such as a rotation shaft 111 of the motor
110 and outputs a detected rotation angle as a position detection
signal.
<Outline of Electrical Configuration of Motor Drive
Device>
[0038] The motor drive device 1 has a converter device 6 described
above, five amplifier modules 2 which supply power to ten motors
110, and a control module 120.
[0039] The converter device 6 includes a converter module 101 and a
capacitor module 102. The converter module 101 generates and
outputs motor drive DC power (for example, +300 VDC) and control
power (for example, +5 VDC or .+-.12 VDC) in response to an input
of AC power (for example, 200 VAC). The capacitor module 102 has a
capacitor 103 mounted thereon. The capacitor 103 smoothes the motor
drive DC power generated by the converter module 101.
[0040] Each amplifier module 2 has the two motor connectors 42
described above which can releasably connect with the connectors
(illustration is omitted) of motor cables for connecting with two
motors 110. One of the connectors of the motor cable is fitted to
each motor connector 42, while the other connector of the motor
cable is fitted to the connector 113 of one motor 110. Thus, one
amplifier module 2 is connected with two motors 110 to drive the
two motors 110. That is, in response to the inputs of the position
detection signals from the encoders 112 of the two motors 110, the
amplifier module 2 generates corresponding signals, and then
outputs the generated signals to the control circuit board 4 of the
first unit 10 (or the second unit 11). Note that, below, the
control circuit board 4 of the first unit 10 and the control
circuit board 4 of the second unit 11 may simply be referred to as
"the control circuit board(s) 4" without particularly
distinguishing one control circuit board from the other.
[0041] Note that the capacities (output powers) of the motors 110
connected to the respective amplifier modules 2 may be identical or
different from each other, and the amplifier modules 2 are
configured to have substantially identical external dimensions,
regardless of the capacities of the corresponding motors 110.
[0042] The control module 120 has a CPU 121 mounted thereon, and
the CPU 121 is associated with a memory. The CPU 121 distributes
and outputs a motor control reference (any one of control
references such as the position, speed and torque), which is read
and outputted from the memory, over/to ten controlling processors
131 of the control circuit board 4.
<Details of Electrical Configuration of Control Circuit
Board>
[0043] The control power from the converter module 101 is inputted
into the control circuit board 4. In the control circuit board 4,
the ten controlling processors 131 (control IC), the five amplifier
connectors 41 with which the five amplifier modules 2 are
releasably connected, respectively, a control module connector 43
with which the control module 120 is releasably connected, and
signal lines (illustration is omitted) for controlling switching
elements 45 of each amplifier module 2 based on the motor control
reference from the control module 120, are arranged.
[0044] Voltage of a low-voltage system (for example, +5 VDC or
.+-.12 VDC) used for control-signaling of each amplifier module 2
is supplied to the control circuit board 4. That is, the control
circuit board 4 is connected with each amplifier module 2 by
fitting the mounting connector 21 of the amplifier module 2 to each
amplifier connector 41. The control circuit board 4 is connected
with the control module 120 by fitting the connector 122 of the
control module 120 to the control module connector 43.
[0045] Here, the controlling processor 131 of each control circuit
board 4 is comprised of, for example, an IC chip, and corresponds
to each motor, respectively. Each controlling processor 131
performs a control operation (including a current control
operation) according to the inputted motor control reference in
response to the motor control reference from the control module 120
and the input of the position detection signal from the encoder 102
of each motor 100. Then, each controlling processor 131 outputs a
switching reference based on the control operation to the switching
elements 45 of the amplifier module 2 via the amplifier connectors
41.
[0046] The bus bar 5 described above, which is a power line of a
high-voltage system (for example, +300 VDC) is provided to the
control circuit board 4. Motor drive direct current from the
converter module 101 is inputted into the bus bar 5. The power is
supplied to each amplifier module 2 by connecting the connector 24
for the positive-side power and the connector 25 for the
negative-side power of the five above-described amplifier modules 2
with the positive-side bus bar section 51 and the negative-side bus
bar section 52 of the bus bar 5, respectively.
[0047] By the above configuration, the motor drive device 1
supplies power to the ten motors 110 connected with the five
amplifier modules 2, respectively, according to the motor control
reference outputted from the control module 120 to drive each motor
110.
<Effects of Embodiment>
[0048] As described above, the motor drive device 1 of this
embodiment includes the plurality of amplifier modules 2, the
control circuit board 4, and the bus bar 5. The control circuit
board 4 is provided with the plurality of amplifier connectors 41.
Each amplifier module 2 is connected with the control circuit board
4 by using the respective amplifier connectors 41. Thus, the
switching elements 45 of each amplifier module 2 are controlled by
the signals from the control circuit board 4.
[0049] Here, supply of the power to each amplifier module 2 is
performed by the bus bar 5. By connecting the amplifier modules 2
to the bus bar 5, power can be simultaneously supplied to the
amplifier modules 2. Thus, even if large current flows, it will be
unnecessary to have a large surface area or a large thickness of a
thin film like when the thin film made of the conducting material
is used, because the power supply to the amplifier module 2 is
performed using the bus bar 5 having a large cross-sectional area.
As a result, it can prevent the motor drive device 1 from
increasing in size and, thus, the entire size of the motor drive
device 1 can be comparatively small.
[0050] Especially in this embodiment, the amplifier module 2
includes the connector(s) 24 for the positive-side power and the
connector(s) 25 for the negative-side power connectable with the
positive-side bus bar section 51 which supplies the positive-side
direct current of the bus bar 5, and the negative-side bus bar
section 52 which supplies the negative-side direct current of the
bus bar 5, respectively. Thus, power can certainly be supplied to
the amplifier modules 2.
[0051] Further, especially in this embodiment, the motor drive
device 1 is comprised of a plurality of mutually-coupled units,
where each unit (for example, the first unit 10 or the second unit
11) includes the control circuit boards 4, the bus bar 5, and the
amplifier modules 2 connected with the control circuit board 4 and
the bus bar 5. The bus bar 5 of one unit has at both ends in the
left-to-right direction the coupling mechanism parts 53A and 53B
which are connectable with the bus bars 5 of the other units.
[0052] Thus, the motor drive device 1 is comprised of a plurality
of mutually coupled units, each unit having the control circuit
board 4, the bus bar 5, and amplifier modules 2. Thus, desired
types and the number of units can be used by coupling the units
according to the application of the device and the needs of a user
and, thus, flexibility and versatility of the device can be
improved.
[0053] Especially in this embodiment, the control circuit board 4
of one unit includes the circuit board connectors 60 and 63 through
which the control circuit board 4 can be connected with the control
circuit boards 4 of the other units.
[0054] Thus, if the plurality of units are connected as described
above to constitute the motor drive device 1, the control circuit
boards 4 of the units can smoothly be connected with each
other.
[0055] Especially in this embodiment, the plurality of units
include at least one first unit 10 each having the control circuit
board 4 provided with two amplifier connectors 41 to releasably
connect with two amplifier modules 2, and at least one second unit
11 having the control circuit board 4 provided with three amplifier
connectors 41 to releasably connect with three amplifier modules 2.
The at least one first unit 10 and the at least one second unit 11
are coupled to each other.
[0056] In this embodiment, the first unit 10 can be connected with
the two amplifier modules 2 by having the two amplifier connectors
41. The second unit 11 can be connected with the three amplifier
modules 2 by having the three amplifier connectors 41. Thus, since
the unit has two types of units, the first unit 10 and the second
unit 11, the number of the amplifier modules 2 to be controlled can
be varied, when a plurality of units are coupled to constitute the
motor drive device 1 as described above. FIGS. 8A to 8G illustrate
the effects further in detail.
[0057] FIG. 8A illustrates a case where the number of amplifier
modules 2 to be controlled is two. In this case, a single first
unit 10 is used independently. The control circuit board 4 of the
first unit 10 includes the bus bar 5 (the positive-side bus bar
section 51 and the negative-side bus bar section 52) and two
amplifier connectors 41 connectable with the two amplifier modules
2 (illustration of the amplifier modules is omitted in FIGS. 8A to
8G). Power from the high-voltage system is supplied to the two
amplifier modules 2 through the bus bar 5, and power from the
low-voltage system is supplied to the two amplifier modules 2
through the two amplifier connectors 41.
[0058] FIG. 8B illustrates a case where the number of amplifier
modules 2 to be controlled is three. In this case, a single second
unit 11 is used independently. The control circuit board 4 of the
second unit 11 includes the bus bar 5 and three amplifier
connectors 41 connectable with three amplifier modules 2. Power
from the high-voltage system is supplied to the three amplifier
modules 2 through the bus bar 5, and power from the low-voltage
system is supplied to the three amplifier modules 2 through the
three amplifier connectors 41.
[0059] FIG. 8C illustrates a case where the number of amplifier
modules 2 to be controlled is four. In this case, two first units
10 are used by coupling the units via the connectors 60 and 63.
Note that a connected part of the two adjacent units by the
connector 60 and the connector 63 is represented by hatching (the
same for FIGS. 8C to 8G). The assembly of the two first units 10
includes four amplifier connectors 41 connectable with four
amplifier modules 2, and the bus bars 5 of the two units are
conductive therebetween through the coupling mechanisms 53A and 53B
described above and, thus, the units are electrically integrated.
Power from the high-voltage system is supplied to the four
amplifier modules 2 through the integrated bus bar 5, and power
from the low-voltage system is supplied to the four amplifier
modules 2 through the four amplifier connectors 41.
[0060] FIG. 8D illustrates a case where the number of amplifier
modules 2 to be controlled is five. In this case, a single first
unit 10 and a single second unit 11 are used by coupling the units
to each other via the connectors 60 and 63. The assembly of the two
units 10 and 11 includes five amplifier connectors 41 connectable
with five amplifier modules 2, and the bus bars 5 of the two units
are conductive therebetween through the coupling mechanisms 53A and
53B described above and, thus, the units are electrically
integrated. Power from the high-voltage system is supplied to the
five amplifier modules 2 through the integrated bus bar 5, and
power from the low-voltage system is supplied to the five amplifier
modules 2 through the five amplifier connectors 41.
[0061] FIG. 8E illustrates an example case where the number of
amplifier modules 2 to be controlled is six. In this example, two
second units 11 are used by coupling the units to each other via
the connectors 60 and 63. The assembly of the two second units 11
includes six amplifier connectors 41 connectable with six amplifier
modules 2, and the bus bars 5 of the two units are conductive
therebetween through the coupling mechanisms 53A and 53B described
above and, thus, the units are electrically integrated. Power from
the high-voltage system is supplied to the six amplifier modules 2
through the integrated bus bar 5, and power from the low-voltage
system is supplied to the six amplifier modules 2 through the six
amplifier connectors 41. Note that, in such a case, three first
units 10 may be used by coupling the units to each other.
[0062] FIG. 8F illustrates an example case where the number of
amplifier modules 2 to be controlled is seven. In this example, two
first units 10 and a single second unit 11 are used by coupling the
units to each other via the connectors 60 and 63. The assembly of
the three units 10 and 11 includes seven amplifier connectors 41
connectable with seven amplifier modules 2, and the bus bars 5 of
the three units are conductive thereamong through the coupling
mechanisms 53A and 53B described above and, thus, the units are
electrically integrated. Power from the high-voltage system is
supplied to the seven amplifier modules 2 through the integrated
bus bar 5, and power from the low-voltage system is supplied to the
seven amplifier modules 2 through the seven amplifier connectors
41.
[0063] FIG. 8G illustrates an example case where the number of
amplifier modules 2 to be controlled is eight. In this example, two
second units 11 and a single first unit 10 are used by coupling the
units to each other via the connectors 60 and 63. The assembly of
the three units 11 and 10 includes eight amplifier connectors 41
connectable with eight amplifier modules 2, and the bus bars 5 of
the three units are conductive thereamong through the coupling
mechanisms 53A and 53B described above and, thus, the units are
electrically integrated. Power from the high-voltage system is
supplied to the eight amplifier modules 2 through the integrated
bus bar 5, and power from the low-voltage system is supplied to the
eight amplifier modules 2 through the eight amplifier connectors
41. Note that, in such a case, four first units 10 may also be used
by coupling to each other.
[0064] Similarly, even if the number of amplifier modules 2 to be
controlled is nine or more, one or more first units 10 and one or
more second units 11 can suitably be combined to form various
combinations of the amplifier modules 2.
[0065] Other than described above, approaches of the examples
and/or modifications of the above embodiment may also be combined
suitably.
[0066] Although not illustrated, various changes, modifications and
additions may be made to the above embodiment without departing
from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0067] In the foregoing specification and specific embodiments of
the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary
skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes
can be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly and the
specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative
rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are
intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
The benefits and advantages, solutions to problems, and any
element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage and or solution to
occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a
critical, required and or essential features or elements of any or
all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended
claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this
application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
* * * * *